Highland News: NORTHERN Constabulary's top cop has been called in to sort out a tangled angling wrangle.

Chief Constable Ian Latimer will now find himself enmeshed in the fishy furore over rights in the former Inverness water supply at Loch Duntelchaig, just a few minutes' drive from the city.

As exclusively revealed in the Highland News, Highland Fishing Tackle, of Grant Street, has acquired the "exclusive" use of the loch from Scottish Water and is charging £15 per head for people to fish.

To add to the local grief, it has issued a public warning that anyone caught by its bailiffs will be reported to the police.

But this has ruffled the feathers of local trout fly fishers and others who use the loch, which also boasts pike, eels and Arctic char.

They say that traditionally Loch Duntelchaig was a safe haven for youngsters learning to fish, and for outings where families could enjoy themselves without having to pay for the privilege.

Now, the Scottish Socialist Party's Highlands and Islands regional chairman George MacDonald has joined in the fray and is demanding answers from Mr Latimer.

This week he condemned Scottish Water for trampling over people's civil rights and also ignoring Scottish law, as well as claiming company spokesman Jason Rose was being "economical" with the truth.

Mr MacDonald said: "He claims that Scottish Water is saving us - the customers - money by passing control of fishing rights on Loch Duntelchaig to a 'local interest group'.

"Perhaps Mr Rose could enlighten us by explaining at what point a commercial concern, whose sole purpose in life is to make a profit, becomes a local interest group?"

He fumed: "It would appear that Scottish Water is prepared not only to trample all over the civil rights of the people, but also to completely ignore Scottish criminal law.

"At no time has it been enacted making it a criminal offence to fish for wild brown trout, pike, eels or Arctic char in Loch Duntelchaig.

"If Highland Fishing Tackle is charging the public £15 per annum to fish for these species in the loch, then I would suggest that they are guilty of extracting money under false pretences and that Scottish Water are their partners in crime.

"If anyone is to be reported to the police, perhaps they should be first."

Mr MacDonald revealed that the Scottish Socialist Party has written Mr Latimer requesting clarification of civil liberties under Scots law.

"We shall continue, as ever, to fight for the rights of the Scottish people in their struggle against faceless, bureaucratic quangos, " he said.